Philippians - Verse-by-Verse Biblical Exegesis

spiritual autonomy, which is the next stage of Christian growth, the glorification of Christ in the
unique life of the royal family will be described as “Christ being at home in your heart” (Eph. 3:16-
17). In spiritual maturity, the final stage of spiritual adulthood, the unique life will be expressed as
“Christ being glorified in your body.” (R.B. Thieme, Jr.)
If a man’s life is given over to the acquisition of things that concern this life only, dying can never be
gain – because it means he leaves everything behind that he considers important. But if Christ is the
center of life and Christ is what a man gets out of life, he is leaving lesser things to go into the
presence of the One who is life itself to him. He is forsaking all lesser things to attain what has been
his life goal all along. (J. Pentecost) His real life was hidden – hidden with Christ whose presence
filled his soul. He was dead unto the world, but alive unto God. He was conscious of high thoughts
burning within him; there was a power there and an energy that lifted him up and strengthened him
and filled him with calm and holy joy in all his many trials. Death is to him but the weighing anchor,
or the taking down of his tent, the last stage in his journey to the heavenly country. (B. Caffin) Paul
asserts that living has no meaning apart from Christ; he is the object, motive, inspiration, and goal of
all that the apostle does. (P. O’Brien)
If you take a census of those who exist on the earth, you have only to count the numbers that
breathe, and they are legion; but if you take the census of those who live, you must count the souls
that are really in earnest, and they are in a terrible minority. But whilst it is rare for men to live at all,
it is far rarer for men to live to Christ, to live the ideal life, the life in which all bodily impulses are
governed by the intellect, and all the intellectual faculties governed by the conscience, and all the
powers of the conscience ruled by the will of God. (D. Thomas) The soldier who concentrates on his
duty under the pressure of combat will manifest the fortitude and resourcefulness necessary to
accomplish his mission and survive. The Christian warrior who concentrates on the promises and
doctrines of the Word of God gains absolute confidence in God’s everlasting care, shows his mettle,
endures adversity, and secures deliverance. In life and death the Lord always delivers. (R.B. Thieme,
Jr.)
Although it has taken me a long time to arrive at this conclusion, I am convinced that the most
important thing in my life as a Christian is to have the reality of Jesus Christ in my life. This is not
too popular today. People would rather talk about being dedicated, wanting to serve Him, or doing
this and that. But the most important thing is to have fellowship with Him so that your joy might be
full. Then we will have a powerful witness. The problem is that most people want the end but forget
all about the means. The means, in this case, is fellowship with the Lord Jesus Christ. Everything
else is the fruitage of this fellowship. (J. McGee) Death is not "gain" for reversionists (losers),
because only mature believers (winners) receive rewards. (R.B. Thieme, Jr.) The Aorist tense
combined with κερδoσ points to Paul's cashing in on both the principle and interest, having more of
Christ after death than while living. (A.T. Robertson)
Philp. 1:21 Because (causal) for me (Ethical Dative, Dat.
Adv., emphatic, intensely personal confession; "as I see
it"), living (za,w, PAInf., Durative, Articular, a gerund used
as the subj. of a verb; “continuing to live”) is occupation